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Ian Evatt is confident cup disappointments will not impinge upon Wanderers’ league form when they resume their schedule after the international break.
A poor display against Aston Villa’s Under-21s in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy left a negative vibe in the air as the squad was given a few days off to recharge their batteries for the next block of fixtures.
Wanderers have five League One matches – Burton Albion and Peterborough United at home, and Birmingham City, Stevenage (now pencilled in for October 29) and Stockport County away – before the next hiatus, by which point Evatt wants to see his team challenging at the top end of the table.
The manager expressed his frustration that a handful of senior players had “let themselves down” against Villa’s youngsters in what was a wasteful evening in front of goal but he does not envisage a knock-on effect once the players return for duty at the start of next week.
“It is a competition we have obviously had a lot of success in, we’ve won, but everyone knows what our main ambition is this season,” he told The Bolton News.
“We have been hurt by cup runs in the past – and I’m not saying we didn’t want to win that game because you can see by the team we picked that we did want to win it - but we must focus on getting where we need to get to in the league. That is the most important thing.
“It was a real, sharp reminder that we have to be ‘at it’ all the time, no matter who we are playing against, if we are going to win football matches.
“I have to give great credit to their players, who gave it absolutely everything, but for us, we only need to be focussed on working hard for the next block of league games and keeping together what has been a better run of form.”
Goalkeeper Luke Hutchinson was recalled from a loan spell with non-league Marine to make his debut against Villa. Evatt has not ruled out a return to Merseyside on loan but says the club will need to keep hold of him for the time being as Nathan Baxter recovers from a muscle strain.
“I was really pleased for Luke to make his debut,” Evatt said. “The plan for now is to stick around until we get Nathan back fit and available, which should hopefully be at the end of this window.
“After that we will see what happens next for him, but he is a young goalkeeper we like, we think he has got a lot of talent, and he will continue to improve with Matt Gilks’s guidance.”
Evatt will now hope his injury list does not extend over the break with six players currently playing for their respective countries.
And the manager admits team selection for the next game against Burton has been made more straightforward by what was a poor outing in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.
“As far as I am concerned, things are a lot clearer,” he said. “People had opportunities and they disappointed.
“Our number one concern is to get players back, available and fully fit. There are some players who are carrying a few bits and bobs and the international players who are away, we need them to come back to us safe and sound carrying on where they left off.
“The league performances in that team had found some fluidity and confidence and we must maintain and continue it. Our main focus is on Burton, where it should be.”
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